Housing Project Elric
by Visual Confectionary
Summary: The Elric brothers are forced to live with Roy Mustang due to Edward being thrown out of the living quarters. But Ed seems a little tense, especially around Roy...RoyEd Language. Eventual smut.
1. Operation Approval

**_AN: _Ah, what's that? Autumn has come up with a new fic? And it will be filled with fluff and RoyEd goodness?  
Yes, and it's going to be fun.  
**

Warnings: _For this chapter, Language._

_**I own nothing.**_

**Summary:** The Elric brothers are forced to live with Roy Mustang due to Edward being thrown out of the living quarters. But Ed seems a little tense, especially around Roy...RoyEd_**  
**_

_Thanks to Amanda for being my ever so loving beta.__  
_

* * *

Edward Elric didn't mean to cause himself to get thrown out of the living quarters of the military...  
Honestly.  
Alphonse was out shopping and he was bored, and hungry.  
He didn't know that leaving something to simmer meant not putting the heat on high, and he didn't know stirring occasionally meant before and after taking a shower.

The damage from the fire wasn't all that bad. The stove was ruined, and there were smoke stains on some of the walls. Though, since he was at living quarters, the military didn't take too lightly to the situation, and was currently banned from living there.  
While having to make up for the costs in damage, it would be hard to find a place to rent, due to limited funding.  
There was the suggestion of shacking up with someone from the military. Most he knew lived in the place from which he was now banned.  
There was Alex Louis Armstrong, but Ed outright refused, and Alphonse was secretly very glad for it.  
…And there was the suggestion of Colonel Roy Mustang.  
It wouldn't have sounded so bad if Ed didn't loathe the man. Spending his time giving reports to the man was unbearable enough. But sleeping, eating, and simply living under the same roof as Mr. Walking STD?  
He wouldn't hear of it.  
But, Alphonse would.  
"Brother, we don't have any options."  
"Sure we do! There's a nice clean dumpster around here somewhere…"  
"Brother…"  
"Alphonse. There's no way in HELL I'm living with him."  
"Of course there is, because you don't believe in hell."  
"IF THERE WAS ONE!"  
Alphonse spoke to the Colonel about it, and he seemed delighted. Yes, he was delighted; Alphonse was a charming suit of armor, well mannered and respectful towards those around him. However, there was just _one_ downfall. With Alphonse came a very small piece of baggage, composed of mainly flesh and blonde hair, and whom absolutely loved to bounce all over his nerves (He could probably literally bounce on them, considering he was so lacking in size). Roy grinned at himself, thoroughly enjoying teasing the younger in his thoughts.  
"If you can keep your brother under control, then I suppose that it would be alright…for the time being," Roy said, almost uncertainly.

"And he can't use my stove or anything in the kitchen for that matter. Make that **very **clear to him," he quickly added as an afterthought.

"I will, sir."  
"I suppose you both can gather your things and meet me at the end of the day. I should get out of here promptly at 8 o'clock."  
"Thank you, sir."  
Roy nodded, and immediately regretted the allowance of the small blonde teenager and his brother into his home. He shook his head, and could only hope that at home the usually spastic alchemist was calmer, less destructive. Though, he did get to observe his former place in the living quarters, and could only shake his head at the aftermath of his attempt to cook.

Perhaps the boy was good company. Perhaps they would be able to indulge in games of chess and discussion of politics and fine arts. Perhaps Roy Mustang was out of his mind and knew that the little geek would rather sit and play with calculators and read books, along with causing an uproar whenever he discovered something. He also could imagine that Ed was the type to inform everyone when his body did something strange. Yes, perhaps Roy Mustang would have a very interesting month or so ahead of him.

* * *

Edward was beginning to annoy Alphonse with his reluctance to pack. His maturity seemed to dwindle as they (or Alphonse rather) was folding clothes and putting them neatly into a suitcase. Al would have completed one suitcase, and by the time he turned around, said suitcase and its contents had been knocked into the floor, Ed would be standing there with his arms crossed.  
"It jumped, I swear."  
"Edward Francis Elric."  
"Who's that?"  
If Alphonse had a head, it would be repeatedly hitting the nearest wall.

* * *

Roy was approaching Alphonse, who was standing near the gate to the exit of the military grounds, suitcases neatly stacked beside him. Al was promptly observing a queer little insect hopping from leaf, to grass blade, to leaf…  
"Where's Ed?"  
Roy swore, he saw an evil, menacing grin somehow form on that suit of armor as he was motioning to the inside of it. From the inside he heard a prompt, muffled thud.  
"_Al, I'm going to kick your_ _fucking ass_."  
A few more bangs and moving around came from inside the armor, along with something muttered that was along the lines of "bastards." Alphonse seemed unaffected by the random banging and simply uttered a small laugh at the actions of his brother who was now trapped.  
Roy smirked; Alphonse Elric was officially his hero.

* * *

They arrived at the Mustang residence in about 20 minutes; it was located towards the center of the city. He lived in a very charming townhouse in a lovely neighborhood. There was a quaint lawn that was well groomed and stretched from the front to the side.  
Once inside, Alphonse muttered something to Ed about behaving, and then he opened the armor, unleashing the beast from within.  
He scrambled out, wildly looking around, before finally turning to glare at Al.  
Al waved his hands, and then laughed softly,  
"Brother…be polite."  
"Al, I'll tell you where you can shove your, 'polite'. You can take it and forcibly insert…"  
"Boys, boys. Let's be civil. I'd like to show you where you'll be stay—"  
"Can it, Shit Colonel."  
"I'm hurt, Ed."  
Alphonse promptly hit Ed on the shoulder, to which Ed only grunted.  
The house was nice, to say the least. It was well-maintained and decorated; art adorned the walls and it was rich in warm colors. The living room, which was in front of them was tidy, except for a few newspapers scattered on the coffee table. To the right, they could see into a room that was most definitely a study, filled with bookcases and a very antique-looking desk. Between the two rooms was a staircase, and to the back of the first floor were the kitchen and dining room. Roy took the pair upstairs and showed them the bathroom and the bedrooms. Roy's was on the right and two smaller ones were opposite of each other. All in all, it was cozy; even Edward could admit that he would get used to staying there.

* * *

Upon picking his room, Edward locked himself inside and pulled out a few of his books to study. He wanted to avoid Alphonse and Roy at all costs. They could leave him out of their little love fest they had going on.

* * *

Meanwhile, Alphonse joined Roy downstairs and promptly apologized for Edward being rude.  
"He's not used to being taken care of, he's so independent…"  
"Al, you don't have to explain it to me," Roy laughed, sipping a cup of tea.  
"I worry about him though. He's been acting odd lately anyways."  
"What do you mean by…odd?"  
"I don't know. He's not that open. He's very quiet. Except for when he's complaining about something..."  
"He's a hormonal, bitchy, teenage boy."  
Alphonse laughed.  
"Yeah, that's it. Ah well, he'll come around in good time Colonel—"  
"Roy, please. We're not at headquarters."  
"Ah, yeah. I'll have to get used to that. Thank you, really though."  
"I'm fine with it. I like having company. I try to keep my guest rooms kept up because I often have family and others stopping by. A Colonel has to entertain."  
Alphonse nodded, "I suppose so."  
"And Al, you and your brother are free to stay in my study as much as you want. Just put everything back where it came from."  
"Oh! Thank you, I'm sure brother will be excited." Alphonse promptly got up and excused himself for the night.  
Roy finished off his tea, and stepped into the kitchen, washing the small cup in the sink. Twilight was enchanting tonight, and he was secretly quite happy to have company the more he pondered on the subject. Even if the pair may cause a ruckus, it would make things seem more interesting.

* * *

"Brother, we get to use the Colonel's study!"  
For a second, he could have sworn he saw Ed's eyes light up, but they were quickly downcast.  
"I'm sure there's nothing interesting there," Edward said flatly, turning the page in his book.  
"Francis, you're being rude."  
"Would you _quit_ calling me that?!"  
"No. Not until you remember the manners that Mom taught us!"  
"I have no reason to be courteous to that man."  
"We owe a lot to him."  
"We owe nothing to him."  
"He's letting us live with him until things get sorted out. Can't you be a bit more understanding?"  
"We were fine on our own."  
"Brother, tomorrow I want you to thank the Roy and start being polite…just for now, at least."  
"Ew, you're on a first name basis with him."  
If Alphonse had eyes, he would be rolling them at his brother. He had to keep reminding himself that he loved this defiant brat. Trying to get him to be thankful was like pulling teeth. Perhaps a night's rest would make things better.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated because remember:_

_A happy writer is eager to update._

_Lovelovelove  
_


	2. Operation Diagnosis

I love my reviewers! You all made my day filled with happy joy, so I am proud to present:

-nasal horn thing sounds

Chapter number two for your reading pleasure!

**Warnings: **Language, and Hilarity will ensue, according to Amanda. (She's hot. She's houseprodigy. She has a very popular story. A Lot To Make Up For. If you haven't read it. Go do so.)

I own nothing :  


Thanks to houseprodigy for reading over for me. ily.

* * *

Roy Mustang went about his morning as he generally did. He woke up promptly at 5AM. He dressed in a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt and would run his typical routine, around the block, across the park, down the boulevard, and back around. He wasn't staying in shape by doing paperwork all day. 

He took a shower after getting back inside, and went on with his normal grooming activities. He tied his towel loosely around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom, heading towards his bedroom. He couldn't help but notice a wide-eyed, yet sleepy looking blonde staring at him from a door down.

_Oh, yeah._

"Er, Good Morning."

Edward did realize at this point, that his face turned red that could cause his very coat to blush. He promptly slammed the door shut and hid himself back under his covers. Roy shrugged it off,

Perhaps the teen was a sleepwalker.

He clothed himself in his military uniform, save the jacket, and went downstairs. He decided that since he had guests, he should, in fact, prepare breakfast. He wasn't sure what Edward liked to eat, but he couldn't be that picky. He'd seen the boy actually eat the food from the cafeteria at headquarters, so he didn't doubt that he could stomach his food. After looking through his refrigerator long enough, he decided to make and omelet and bacon for the boy.

Wasn't possible to go wrong with that, right?

* * *

Edward was staring at the threads on the comforter he cocooned himself in. He was half-asleep, that was probably why he blushed. Absolutely no other reason. None. Nothing. Nada. He continued to poke at himself in his mind until a wonderful smell drifted up to his nostrils, oh, yes. It was food. Something he hadn't eaten since early yesterday. Food in all of its glory was calling his name. 

He decided to pull on his leather pants and black tank top before going downstairs, and tried to comb his hair back a little bit. In the end, and many curses aimed towards the thick blonde hair filled with tangles later, he threw his hair back into a loose bun and headed towards the amazing aroma.

He found his way into the kitchen, and saw Roy humming and concentrating on some bacon in a pan. He stepped in and continued to watch the older man cook. Roy knew he was there, and finally decided to speak up.

"Good morning. Sleep well?"  
"Oh, uh, yeah."

Roy gave a sidelong glance, and noted the boy watching the bacon in the pan.

"It's bacon. I made omelets as well."

"Omelets?"

Roy quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, have you not had one before?"

The boy shook his head, looking kind of dazed. In this moment, he realized Ed was, to be blunt, very strange. He'd never seen someone space out so much or act so strangely around him. He almost wondered if he did or said something to offend him. He brushed his thoughts aside and prepared a plate for the blonde boy and himself. He motioned for the boy to take his plate and go to the small breakfast table.

"What do you want to drink? Coffee, Orange Juice,…Milk?"

He heard the boy snarl.

"Coffee, black."

Roy shook his head and poured two cups of coffee and headed over to sit near the boy with his plate. When he sat down, he watched Ed poke and prod the omelet. He finally cut a small piece of his off and took a bite, chewing slowly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he began shoveling the breakfast food into his mouth.

"What's in this?" Edward said, trying to choke down the last bite.

"Well, there are eggs, peppers, ham, onions, cheese…"

Suddenly, Ed stopped chewing.

"…cheese?"

"Yes, cheese."

The boy swallowed hard. He pushed the plate away and glared at the man.

"That's…gross."

"Cheese is not gross Fullmetal."

"Yes it is. It's dairy and it's just…Ew." The boy made a strange face and started drinking his coffee.

Someone had obviously forgotten what manners were. Roy worked his jaw, watching the boy. They continued to glare at each other. Daggers were flying across the table, and someone was bound to get hurt.

Roy cut off a piece of his omelet, making sure to display the cheese. He slowly put it in his mouth, and sense the younger boy had no manners, why should he? He chewed open mouthed and made the most obnoxious noises possible.

"Yum. _Cheese_."

"You're a fucking gross bastard." Edward said, looking away from the display of the multicolored matter rolling around Roy's mouth. The boy got up with his coffee and started out of the kitchen and he heard Roy yelled, trying to sound as obnoxious as possible, (which he could still tell he was talking through the his food),

"Yeah, and don't you forget it!"

Ed could practically feel the spit and fragments of food beaming him in the back of the head.

* * *

Alphonse was busy reading in his room as he heard Ed come thumping back upstairs. He was tempted to go down with Ed earlier and force him to apologize, but he hoped it would come on its own, but obviously, it hadn't. He sighed to himself and was silently hoping that the boy would lighten up. He was being about as tough on Roy as Riza Hawkeye was on a day to day basis. He almost pitied the man for having to now put up with two bitchy blondes. 

Edward came into Al's room and put his cup of coffee on the bedside table, then promptly threw himself over the bed.

"You didn't apologize, did you?"  
"Nope. Didn't plan on it."  
"Brother…"  
"Why should I?"  
"Because, he's letting us stay in his home…because he always treats us well."  
"He's a bastard."  
"Even if he is, we owe him a lot."

Ed snorted and buried his head in the pillow.

Alphonse was simply frustrated with his brother. Couldn't he just suck it up? His ego was bigger than he was and it was quite a display for a near 16 year old boy to be merely 5 feet tall and talking like he was above everyone else. Being a prodigy clearly made this boy's head swell. Perhaps that was why he wore his hair long, to cover the swelling skull.

Al started laughing at himself, and this obviously ticked the younger boy off.

"Just **what** are you laughing at?"  
"Nothing, Nothing." Al said, trying to control his laughter.

Ed rolled his eyes and crawled off the bed.

"Allllllll."  
"Francieeee."

Alphonse was promptly clobbered with a pillow.

* * *

"_I'm really sorry for brother—"  
"I already said you don't have to apologize. He'll come around."  
"But it's so rude…"  
"Just talk to him. Maybe he'll come around."  
"I hope so. We'll see you later Col—Roy."_

* * *

_  
_Al was now staring intently at the blonde boy who actually decided to venture through the study, tracing his fingers across the spines of the books which were neatly arranged in mahogany bookcases. 

"Garbage, boring, lame, stupid, shit, stupid…"

Again, Al wished he had eyes to roll at his brother.

"What is your problem? You weren't like this before."  
"It's Colonel Shit's taste in literature. This man can't buy a decent book to save his life—"  
"From what I could tell, he had a very nice collection of books. They went into other areas of science and alchemy, along with classic writings and literature."  
"Yeah, I'm really impressed."  
Al could swear he just saw a glimpse of sarcasm drip from Ed's mouth.  
He continued observing his older brother in order to draw up some type of diagnosis in his head for the behavior of said boy.

_Okay, Al. You can figure out something._

At first, he thought that maybe it was just the change in place, but it's not as though he was uncomfortable in the new house. He watched as his brother found a book that finally caught interest and found a small nook to begin reading. If he was uncomfortable, he more than likely would have gone outside, like he would have if he were at a stranger's house. It couldn't be this.

The more he thought about it, the more he started to think over the actions, and his increased hostility towards Roy. The boy had become very irritable at the mention of moving in with the man, and it sparked strings of wild suggestions and ways to divert from Operation Invade House Mustang. He was doing all he could to be rude, but came off as incredibly uncouth, especially around the man, which resulted in steering clear of anything related to the man. His presence and mention were clearly what he was trying to avoid, but not the fact that he was sharing a house with him…

**Perhaps…**

_…No way._

* * *

Roy was currently reading over the normal things he had to read everyday. A report on the happenings in the military here and there, forms to sign, the usual. He couldn't quite shake the burden he was carrying right now, something that was weighing in on him terribly, it could crush his conscious. 

Oh yes, he was bored, and it was beginning to annoy him.

He attempted to make miniature statues out of post-its, paperclips, tape, string, and whatever else he could find in or around his desk. So far, he was proud of his little misshapen tower. He created a little flag for it, and when he went to set it on top, it ended up tumbling over. The man felt incredibly defeated. It's not like leaning towers could ever be considered structural genius.

Riza would probably get onto him for the mess later, and he began rubbing his temples just imagining what the extent of the headache would be afterwards.

You would seriously think that getting a gun pointed so closely to your face, so many times, could cause long term effects. He was going to have to check up on that.

Speaking of headaches, his thoughts traveled to another headache inducing…creature. Said creature had probably already destroyed his house, and he dreaded seeing what condition his home would be in upon return.

Maybe he could charm the boy into being pleasant. He could bring home Xingian food. Not one person could deny, not even picky blonde chibi boy, could turn away such a delicacy. There was no dairy involved at all. The boy would love the food, and he could top it off with a nice dessert from the sweet shop from down the street. Everyone loves sweets, especially Edward Elric. He saw the miniature porker stuffing his face with cookies and assorted sweets before. The boy would surely be pleased.

He smirked.

_Roy Mustang, you're such a fucking genius._

* * *

_Reviews make Autumn happy!  
I'll give you uh, lots of love and quick updates for lots of reviews. It won't take but a moment of your time!  
_


	3. Operation Vivacity

Much thanks to Amanda for reading over this. I love her dearly.

And ah! Thanks to all for the reviews. The support brings me lots of joy.

As a sidenote, I would have updated sooner if my Grandmother were not in the hospital and I was not ill. Fortunately, she is out, but I'm still feeling a little under the weather, but I managed to present you all with this -grins.

Warnings - Mild Swearing, Light-hearted drinking.

Disclaimer. I own nothing. Except one day, I will own Ken'ichi Matsuyama. Oh yes, I will.

* * *

Operation Vivacity  
Chapter III

* * *

_But when the time comes that a man has had his dinner, then the true man comes to the surface. –Mark Twain_

* * *

Edward was currently copying a list of formulas down from one of the books he had been reading. His eyes would trail to the book and then back to the list, making sure he had correctly jotted down. He couldn't help but internally groan at his handwriting. He tried to make it legible enough for even him to read, but he couldn't half the time. Many a time he had been asked by Colonel Mustang what something was, and couldn't help but feel embarrassment at his own lack of response. He honestly had no idea himself. He suddenly flipped his scrap of paper with the formulas on it over, and proceeded to slow down and try to write neatly.

He slowed himself, trying to properly form an A and a K as best as he could. Those always ended up looking like a mixture of other letters, and were spawning their very own alphabet.

Ah yes, Elriform is what he would call it.

* * *

When Roy Mustang arrived to his house, he casually tucked his mail under his left arm which was carrying a bag in one hand, and a neatly packaged boxed in the other. In the bag was a variety of food he had picked up from the Xingian restaurant and in the box was a dessert he was almost positive the boy would adore. He really wanted the boy to like him, for many reasons. It would make their working relationship a bit better, and now living together, perhaps they could even become closer, friendly terms would be a nice thing to see develop.

"Tadaima," (1) Roy said with a tone of amusement in his voice. He poked his head through the doorway of the study, and seeing Ed, he smiled

"I've got dinner. Want to join?"

Ed huffed, but gave a crooked nod, which wasn't exactly a clear indication of accepting or declining. The boy was kind of crooked in everything he did, apparently. He puzzled the older man a fair amount, and he could only wonder what was tumbling around in that head of his. What could possibly be going under the mass of messy blonde hair? The more he thought about it, the easier it was decide that he honestly, just did not want to know.

Roy shrugged and headed towards the kitchen, setting the bags onto the counter before going upstairs to change. The uniform was a bit too stuffy for his liking. He would rather be comfortable while enjoying his dinner, not sweltering. Just how did Edward Elric manage to stay in all those layers? He was in his own little cocoon. Maybe it was a personal issue, something to do with personal space or something. Hopefully he'd come out of his shell and stop driving him crazy.

* * *

Alphonse, upon hearing the arrival of Roy, decided to go downstairs and further force his brother to be mannerly and civil if possible.

He_ knew _it was a **big**_if_, but there's nothing you can't do if you set your mind to it, right?

"It won't kill you to be nice at dinner."

"It'd be a shame if it did. Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero of the People, dead at 16 due to traumatizing dinner experien—

"You're hopeless, brother."

"I believe not. I'd just rather keep my dignity."

"By forcing me to have to sit with you at dinner all the time just to make sure you are well behaved? You'll never get a date at this rate."

"IT'S NOT A DATE!"

"I never said _this_ was a date, Francie."

"I'm going to start making a list of reasons why I keep you around, just to remind me _not_ to kill you."

"Brother—"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'm hungry. I wonder what the bastard got."

"Whatever _it_ is that _Roy_ got will be fine and you'll be thankful."

Ed rolled his eyes and put up the book he was reading, and tucked the scraps of paper and pen into his pocket from his earlier attempts at improving the legibility of his writings. He walked towards the kitchen, (actually, his brother was lightly kicking the heels of his feet to make them move in a walking manner), and eyed the bags.

* * *

Roy was enjoying watching the interaction between the boys as they continued their banter in the kitchen, taking guesses at what was in the bag, acting as though it was the mystery of the century. Though, he did note Edward's eating habits, so it could very possibly be a case in dire need of solving for the boy. He was probably starving because he didn't eat breakfast, (or that much of it), and he had caught no traces of cooking or eating of any sort in the kitchen.

This kid was good at being aloof and sticking to the refusal to take part in anything that was "Roy Mustang", and apparently that included his food.

Strange kid, really.

"It's Xingian food, if you're wondering."

"What's that?" Ed spoke, interested after hearing the word "food" and a possible explanation to the mystery he was trying to crack.

"It's food from Xing. And yes, all the food is dairy-free."

Ed's eyes lit up, automatically. Ah yes, that had to be a keyword to making the boy happy. Dairy-free. Perhaps, one day, he could find out the reasoning behind his loathing for products dairy. Being a boy from the country, it struck him as odd—

"Well are you going to stand there for forever, or are you going to serve me, Colonel shit?"

"_Atta boy_," Alphonse thought sardonically before swiftly jerking on the boy's hair.

"Ow! Godda—Okay, _fine_. When are we going to _eat_ in perfect _harmony_, dearest _Colonel_ whom I_ respect_ with _every_ fiber of my being."

Roy smirked through and through.

"I believe we can dine now, Edward."

"Woah. We're not on a first name basis, bas—"

_Yank._

"…_Colonel_."

Alphonse would be damned if he would let his _older_ brother get away with trying to hide the well mannered boy he well, was at one point in time. The sudden change in him had to be hormonal, or something he probably didn't really want to know about. He had had enough experience with his brother to know sometimes, it was better _not_ to ask. For instance, when he heard screaming coming from within the bathroom, it was only to declare he was growing hair in some regions that Alphonse certainly did not want to see, but was scarred with a visual none the less.

* * *

Once Roy opened the containers for serving along the island in his kitchen, Edward eyed the steaming chicken, vegetables, beef, and rice which were displayed before him. He had to be completely honest with himself. The old man did well, because nothing looked unappetizing to him. It was like heaven was displayed before his very eyes. He started spooning out rice and an assortment of things out of the other containers that he saw. Once satisfied that his plate was filled with enough food, he hurried into the dining room and sat down.

"Do you want some wine with dinner?" Roy crooned out from the kitchen.

Edward dropped the fork that was about to reach his mouth and dropped it on the plate.

"Uh, isn't that an alcoholic drink? I mean, I am only 16—"

"It's a dinner wine Ed, and you probably won't get drunk off of one glass. It'll be just enough to make you feel a bit warm."

Edward sat there, thinking about the proposition. He looked through the French doors that were between the kitchen and dining room and watched Roy proportion and distribute his food evenly across the plate. He walked over to his cabinet—but wait. Yes, Ed finally noticed it. Roy Mustang was not in a uniform, but rather a white dress shirt and some black slacks. The man looked different when he wasn't in the bulky uniform. It was easy to see he was quite slender, but not scrawny so to say. When the man turned around with a bottle of wine and two glasses in his hands, he noticed the top of his shirt was not buttoned to the top, but rather 4 buttons or so were not fastened, which freely revealed ivory skin. Heat rose to his own cheeks once he realized he was observing the man a bit too closely for his own liking.

_Or perhaps it is for your own liking…_

Ed hushed himself mentally as Roy placed the bottle in the center of the table and a glass beside of the blonde's plate, and then in his spot that was assumed where he would be dining. After he brought the plate in and sat down across from Edward.

"So, Edward, what did you find to do today?" Roy said, balancing a small forkful of rice in front of his mouth.

Ed, whose cheeks were currently stuffed with chicken and rice, simply shrugged at the older man.

"I read a bit."

"I see. Did you find anything interesting?" Roy then gestured to the bottle of wine. "May I?"

"Yeah, there were some good books on alchemy that I hadn't seen before, and I guess. but I've never had wine before though..."

* * *

Alphonse watched the interaction between the two, and was so far pleased that Edward was attempting to be polite. Maybe it was settling in that the man was kind and not the 'bastard' which Edward claimed him to be. Then again, Edward was a fastidious boy, thus he was simply waiting for something to allow him to nag at the man. Though…Roy was…serving him _wine_?

_Oh dear_.

* * *

Roy was highly amused at the boy in front of him. When he began eating with the boy, he was a bit tense and reluctant to give a full answer. Though, with each sip of wine the boy took, his answers were extended a couple of words. Before long, he would probably know the entire life story of his current dinner companion. With his crooked smiles and laughs, it became clear. The boy was, without doubt_, jolly_.

Though some small fragments of rice that were caught on his lip humored him greatly, which were in great contrast to the freckles that were spread across his nose and cheeks, which right now, were slightly flushed.

Perhaps this boy was getting a little more than warm.

When they finished their plates, Roy took them into the kitchen with him and brought back the small box which contained their dessert. Edward focused as best he could on the box and decided that it contained something good. Roy opened it and inside were candies that were white with a pecan on top.

"It's called Divinity."

Edward reached forward and picked one up, bringing it to his mouth. His teeth grazed the surface before they sank into the white confectionary, and upon the first few chews, _it_ happened.

Roy watched the kid's face contort. At first it was as though he was enjoying it, but the more he chewed, the more he saw the expression change, and all the power from his expression went directly to his mouth.

Oh yes, that boy could spit.

Luckily for him, he dodged the half chewed candy as it flew past his head and stuck to a painting on the wall.

"What the fuck are you trying to do, kill me?" Edward eyed where the candy had made its new home and decided to add, "At least it landed on that shitty painting. You shouldn't have wasted your money on that."

Roy only raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"Edward…I didn't buy that?"

"What, you stole it?"

Roy shook his head and laughed, "No, I painted it."

* * *

Alphonse watched his brother run from the dining room, out through the kitchen, up the stairs, and he heard a bedroom door slamming and locking. Apparently, the boy had done something dreadful, and he decided to look into it. Roy was simply sitting back and sipping on his wine, along with taking small bites of what appeared to be dessert. He first checked around the floor and table for any spills that may have occurred, and he saw nothing. When he looked at Roy, the man simply waved his hand behind him, motioning at the painting.

Al walked over to it, and saw a splatter of half chewed candy sticking to it. He noted that the painting was very nice, and out of curiosity, checked the signature.

Yes, he was going to kill his older brother.

* * *

"I'm so sorry that brother did that to your painting."

"Ah, you know, it actually looks like a nice finishing touch. A bit nonconventional for my own work, but not in a bad way I suppose."

"Roy—"

"Don't worry. He's been embarrassed enough for one night. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to clean up from dinner and take care of some things in the study. Feel free to join me in the study later. Perhaps we could play a game of chess or something?"

Alphonse was delighted with the invitation and gladly accepted. Maybe the two of them would be able to discuss their little blonde quandary.

* * *

"You open with a knight?"

"I did when brother and I played chess when we were little…"

"Your brother surely seems a bit odd lately."

"It's probably a teenager thing…"

"So it seems. He was fine until he spit the candy out and it stuck to my painting."

"Did he know it was yours?"

"I told him after his candy landed on it, yes."

"Hmm. I think I may have an idea, but I don't want to jump to such strange conclusions," Alphonse said quietly.

"Oh?"

"It's nothing Colonel. Perhaps it's just something that we'll all find out in time."

He understood what was going on in the boy's mind already. But he needed to play it safe. There was no reason for him to act on the implications of what the Fullmetal Alchemist was thinking about, but rather let things play out and take their own course. Suspicions would either be confirmed or left alone in the next week. Not saying that Roy might not give a little nudge to the boy much younger than himself, but he was up for a challenge. Oh yes, he knew exactly what the youngest Elric had been implying by this conversation and conversations before. Roy was many things, and stupid was not one of them.

"Checkmate," Al said, victoriously.

Roy simply smirked.

"Good job."

* * *

When Roy finally was getting ready for bed that night, he noted a small card beside the table. He picked it up and flipped it open. In very neat manuscript he read,

"_Thank you for dinner._

_& I'm truly sorry about your painting. I like it a lot and I didn't want to ruin it._

_E."_

Just as Roy had thought, some things would start bubbling up to the surface before long. The boy was now emerging from his shell little by little, and with enough work, the cocooned boy would surely become something that would change Roy Mustang for what would be an eternity.

* * *

(1) - Tadaima is a Japanese phrase meaning "I'm home" 

_Reviews bring me joy. And lots of it.  
_


	4. Operation Observation

_I love all of my amazing reviewers! I'm really happy with the response I've gotten. I've gotten plenty of hilarious things planned in the next few chapters, so look forward to that!_

_Much much thanks to houseprodigy (Moses/Amanda/Jonah) for being the light of my life, basically._

**_Warnings: _**_Mild Language_

_**AN**: I own nothing. Except for my apple juice -grins_**  
**

* * *

**Operation: Observation**

**Chapter IV**

* * *

_A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. Charlotte Brontë  
_

* * *

Saturday mornings were nothing different from any other day of the week for Roy Mustang. Waking up late never really appealed to the man; if he were to lose his sense of order and organization about himself, it was hard to focus. He was on his way to the top, to be Fuhrer, and remaining in his best form at all times was necessary.

This particular morning, he was going downstairs, ready to head out for jogging. With each step he was stretching his arms and torso, along with the occasional rubbing of his eyes. When he came to the last step, he was working on stretching his legs, when something caught his eye.

From where he was standing, he could see directly into his study. The door was open and on the couch was a teenage boy, in an obvious state of slumber. His small body was partially on the cushions of the couch, a flesh foot propped up on the back of the couch, and automail toes barely grazing the hardwood floor. His blonde hair spilled over the side of the couch where his neck was arched against the curve of the armrest, with one hand on his forehead, and an automail hand on his stomach, tugging at the fabric of his black tank top.

As rare a find as this, Roy just had to observe. He had never seen the Fullmetal Alchemist completely silent, bearing a sense of serenity that made the man want to lie down and take a nap himself. Edward was not aware that his slow, steady breathing was nearly a lullaby to Roy's ears.

He neared the boy, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. He ended up stepping on the one floorboard that tended to creak, and squinted when he saw the boy shift and his brow furrow only slightly. When the boy settled again, he neared closer, and examined his face.

He was right about the freckles. They were sprinkled here and there across his nose, and then spread out over his cheeks. His eyelashes were long and thick, and instead of being blonde, they were a golden brown, matching his freckles in a strange sort of way. Small pink lips were pulled up into a half pout, half frown.

His hand was nearing the boy's face, just wanting to touch it. He knew that the instances like this (the ones that were out of the ordinary and wrong, but strangely thrilling), were the type to throw him off course to becoming Fuhrer.

He was waiting for this to be the point in time where two small beings would pop up in front of him. One would probably be clad in a fig leaf and stating that it would be fine to touch the boy and think whatever perverse thoughts he wanted. The other would more than likely be in a white robe with a halo, telling him it was wrong and to avoid such activities.

He could dream, right?

He wanted some type of persuasion to lead him into not being unsure about touching the boy's face, and it was then he realized…

He was contemplating a completely innocent act way too much.

Roy reminded himself that he had his own understanding as to why the boy was so out of sorts lately. Doing something to try to initiate something so soon would take the fun out of wanting to have an experience with the teenager.

So maybe Roy was willing to do some things that would throw away his sense of order and his morals for something less-than-conventional. It was harmless, right?

Roy's hand was finally not resisting to touch the face, until—

"..Nn.._Roy_.."

The boy shifted down, latching onto the pillow on the couch. A corner of the pillow was suddenly caught between the boy's lips, teeth nibbling on the fabric ever so lightly.

Roy's eyes widened at the sudden actions of the boy.

Just _what_ was this kid dreaming about?!

He couldn't be dreaming obscene things about the man without his consent. This was obscene. This was an outrage. This was strangely arousing not only his curiosity about the boy, but also the will to act on certain actions that had crossed his mind right then and there--but were far from being appropriate in terms of morality, in the normal sense.

Since when _were_ Roy Mustang, or Edward Elric for this matter, considered to be exactly normal in the general sense of the term?

This was Roy's sign of confirmation, though it came a bit sooner than he wanted. But it was _far_ too easy. He played the romantic role many a time, and from what he could tell, this blonde before him was not concerned about sentiment. Rather, the boy would be fun for teasing and not-so-subtle implications of a mutual interest in the boy. It would be intriguing to see just what he could get out of him.

This was just how they worked though. Picking at each other and just waiting to strike a nerve. Perhaps, this would be the best way to go about it. Let it develop for the boy, let the boy get used to the idea of it all.

He knew he would, too.

* * *

Edward was bleary-eyed and struggling to find the actual desire to get up from his haven of comfort. He tried remembering what he was doing last night before going to sleep, because he was obviously not on a bed. He forced an eye to open slightly, and managed to make out a bookcase and a desk in his current peripheral vision.

Ah yes, the study.

He was reading more in a book that he took a liking to, due to his inability to drift to sleep. Apparently, it had worked because he did manage to lose his will to go upstairs to bed, deciding instead to sleep on the couch.

Though, he did remember he didn't have a blanket on him when he fell asleep. Alphonse probably brought him one at some point in the night, just as he would always do whenever he found himself sleeping in a place where a blanket was not readily available.

He managed to sit upright and tried to wake himself up further. When he went to put a hand down on the cushion of the couch, he felt something…wet.

He looked down at the strange sensation, and saw he had laid his hand down on the edge of the pillow that looked like it had been chewed on.

He felt heat rise to his cheeks as he realized he had actually _chewed_ on a pillow that didn't even belong to him. It belonged to—

"_Bastard._"

* * *

Al closed the book in front of him, completely content that he was able to finish it in one night. Not having a human body did have its benefits, such as not sleeping. The time that he didn't have to sleep was often used constructively and he was able to get a lot done, usually a lot of research to relay back to his brother when the time came. He sighed heavily and closed the book, deciding he should take it downstairs and put it back where it belonged.

He made his way downstairs and turned the corner into the study to see his brother sitting on the couch, rubbing his eyes and mumbling.

"Good morning, brother."

Ed waved his hand, acknowledging the comment and went back to rubbing his eyes.

"You fell asleep in here last night…?"Al asked, but it came out as more a thoughtful statement.

The blonde nodded his head to confirm the statement and slid his fingers through his hair, trying to loosely work out the tangles. Al watched his brother, so calm and collected; it was the first time in awhile he had been this way.

For a long time, the two brothers sat there in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. For Al, sometimes it was easier to understand Ed through these rare, but quiet times. It wasn't clear what was going on in the boy's head, but it could be illustrated through his actions. The way he was working his hands, nervously lacing them together, popping the knuckles and other things of the sort indicated he was nervous. The occasional scratch behind his ear and downcast eyes meant he was confused or trying to figure out something. And there was one other thing that Al had not seen Ed do before.

His feet kept shuffling against each other, and toes, steel and flesh, were wiggling and almost dancing about on the hardwood floor. The occasional rhythm he would pick up between lightly tapping the balls of his feet, and thumping the heels softly. It was like a rocking motion.

Alphonse continued to puzzle this bit of information, but could find no valid explanation. Eventually, Ed looked over at Al, before smiling and saying,

"Thanks for covering me with a blanket last night."

Alphonse was puzzled. He hadn't even _known_ that Edward had fallen asleep, or that he had even gone down there last night. Roy had to have been the one to do it, unless the blonde had developed a new habit of sleepwalking.

"Brother, that wasn't me…It was probably—"

It was then, Al figured out what the motions of Ed's feet meant.

It was apparent with the pink that stained the boy's speckled cheeks, and the sudden speeding up of the random movements and motions of his feet, accompanied by a light trembling--no, shaking of the boy's knee.

Al decided against saying the name, to save the added discomfort from such a word. Never before had he considered that a certain name could make his brother so perplexed and…well, flabbergasted.

Having obtained all this new information, the image was slowly coming together.

* * *

_Reviews make my heart sing!_


	5. Operation Invitation

Basically, I'm really sorry.

I've had a lot going on, and I've not been in the mood to update. But I hope I haven't lost any readers due to this T.T

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy.

I'll squeeze out the next chapter ASAP.

Warnings: Language  
I own nothing :

And I know I didn't get to individually reply to your reviews, but I'm thankful for each and every one of them!

But a special one goes to Amanda, for kicking my muse in the ass and making it work again.

* * *

Do I attract you?  
Do I repulse you with my queasy smile?  
Am I too dirty?  
Am I too flirty?  
Do I like what you like?

-Mika "Grace Kelly"

* * *

After his sudden realization of just who had covered him with a blanket, he felt a bit exposed.

It was a personal issue.

He didn't much care for anyone other than his brother to do anything that would have an effect on his sleeping while he was in the state of said slumber. It made him feel dirty…or exposed, if you will.

And covering him up with a _blanket_?

It had to be a mortal sin.

You don't just go around putting blankets on people. If they wanted a blanket, they could damn well get it themselves.

Edward was _not_ helpless.

Edward was autonomous.

And, according to his brother, Edward, in fact, resembled a tomato at the current moment in time.

* * *

With many curses, forceful hints, and eventual physical means, Ed was led to actually be seated in the living room with Al, instead of cooping himself up in the den or in his room. He was very reluctant to go into said room due to the fact that Mr. Pompous Fire Ass was in that room, reading the newspaper.

When Roy heard the shuffling of footsteps coming into the living room, he greeted the brothers with a dazzling smile and a charming 'How are you?'

Well, at least Alphonse was polite. He slightly bowed and said a 'Good, thank you, Roy.'

Edward, on the other hand, smugly shoved his nose up into the air and let a brief 'puh, what's it to you, bastard?'

There had to be a way to break into that kid. Maybe being bored was taking a toll on him. He hadn't gone to the military building for a few days now, as he had no need for being there. The last mission he had went on could take a lot out of anyone, and in all honesty, nothing was happening there for him to attend to.

He perked an eyebrow.

Just maybe there _was_ a way to keep the boy from being bored. He excused himself and headed towards the dining room. He immediately went over to the small desk that was located in the corner and pulled a diminutive book out of one of the drawers. He started leafing through the pages, looking for a certain name…

Amane Hakuro.

He had taken her to the Christmas Ball held by the military the last time the holiday had approached. She was an astonishing woman, and was fantastic company. Also, Major General Hakuro, being the family man he is, enjoyed seeing his niece having such a swell time, which worked to his advantage greatly.

One thing that Roy learned about Amane was that she had a younger sister, approximately 16 years old.

He picked up the phone and began dialing the number that had been written out beside her name.

* * *

"Alphonse, I think cats are really unsanitary. You picking them up all the time isn't good for my health."  
"Brother—"  
"Seriously, think about what's under those claws they have. What could they have been digging through? Or, think about the diseases they could have. It's disgusting!"  
"But brother, kittens are defenseless, they just need love—"  
"Oh, yeah, and I need diseases."  
"You have to admit they're at least good for something, like companionship!"  
"Uh, no. Trying to be companions with a cat would be like trying to make Riza Hawkeye your best friend. She's in control, and if you try to be affectionate, they bite or scratch, or hiss to threaten you in some menacing way. It just doesn't work."  
"Brother, don't talk about the First Lieutenant like that….OR CATS!"

* * *

Ed refrained from saying anything else, in fear of angering his little brother further. The boy was passive…well, normally. He was a lot bigger than Ed at this point, and could be strangely cruel. At this point, he'd rather that he wasn't stuck inside the metal casing for a day. Fresh air was nice.

Roy stretched a bit after he hung up the phone. He'd proposed that they should go out to dinner the following night, and he would love for her to bring her sister to be a companion to the Fullmetal Alchemist. When he'd heard Amane ask her sister if she wanted to go on a date with the Fullmetal Alchemist, Roy had to set the phone down to save his eardrums from the shrieks and squeals he'd heard coming from the other line.

Needless to say, they'd gladly accepted.

He pulled another drawer open and carefully lifted a small sketch pad out of it.

Roy Mustang was an artist, which was an apparent shock to anyone he shared the piece of information with. He flipped open the sketch pad to what he had been working on this morning.

Instead of going out for a jog, he had decided to draw.

It was his little secret.

He'd sat on the floor in front of Ed as he slept and promptly began drawing him. It couldn't be helped. It was too hard to resist, with the way the boy was positioned, and the light that was spilling into the room. The other factor that made him feel as though the moment needed to be captured was the fact that he had never seen the child in Edward.

The grip on the pillow and chewing of the fabric, the blonde hair spilling, and the sprawling out of his legs showed a side to the Fullmetal Alchemist that seemed rare and almost exotic. The boy was quiet; the boy was content. He had been focusing on the contours of the boy, the soft curve of his neck and tried to emphasize the long golden lashes that rested above freckles that spilled across his nose and cheeks.

It couldn't be helped; the boy was a form of art all his own.

* * *

Ed eyed Roy suspiciously as he came back into the room, a pleasant smile spread across his face. Actually, it wasn't a smile. It was more like a 'I'm-a-bastard-and-I-know-it' smile. He hated it. He hated this man. The man took his place in an oversized chair and picked up a newspaper, obviously picking up where he left off earlier.

Alphonse was currently a bit agitated at his brother. Felines were his soft spot, and Edward loved to poke at it, considering he thought of it as being a big bruise. He couldn't help but try and get Al all worked up. It was a brother thing. Granted, they may have been as close as ever, but it was natural for them—as it was for every pair of siblings—to want to pick at each other. It's what kept them both feeling human.

Silence seemed to fill the room for awhile before Roy folded the newspaper neatly and placed it upon the coffee table. He sat for a moment, and the blonde couldn't help but notice how he seemed to be pondering something.

It was kind of frightening.

"Edward."

_Oh no._

"_What_?_" _The boy tried to hiss as best he could. He figured if he tried to sound intimidating, the man would simply say something like 'Oh, never mind. I'll leave you alone, and never bother you again. I promise.'

Unfortunately, he wasn't _that_ lucky.

Roy looked amused at the rash tone in the boy's voice and simply _smirked_.

Edward was immediately pissed off by the action. It was like the man could read his thoughts and if so…

'_I hope you spontaneously combust you moron of a pyromaniac. Yeah, and you're a bastard, just so you know.'_

Ed ended the thought with a smirk of his own, directed towards the man. When Roy caught it, he figured that the boy had thought some insanely terrible thought about him. Deciding to play along, he promptly frowned and tried to look as hurt as possible.

He suddenly saw panic flash through the boy's eyes.

' _**Okay, Okay!** I'm sorry, Mr. High-and-Mighty!'_

Ed visibly twitched as Roy smirked. Perhaps he really could read his thoughts! Edward felt himself starting to panic. There was no way that he could…right?

Roy was really amused. To look at the exchange logically, from the faces he was making, it was easy to have a slight understanding to what the boy was thinking without actually knowing. The boy was too oblivious for his own good.

Deciding to jump in the deep end and try and see how much more panic and fright he could instill in the boy, he started very slowly,

"I was wondering…"

Ed's eyes shifted around and looked at his brother, trying to plead silently to help him out of whatever the man was plotting against him with, or to stop him from saying whatever it was he was going to say. He just didn't want to hear it. It was probably something to piss him off, or put him in a bad mood. Roy Mustang was a bastard, and he was good at being one. The fact that he knew it just added onto the bastardly traits of the man.

Yet, Al was obviously still pissed off about the feline comments from earlier, and turned his complete attention to the nearest book, picking it up and engrossing himself into it, avoiding the blonde boy at all costs.

_Al…I'm going to kill you._

Roy finally picked up.

"Would you like to go out on a date?"

* * *

_Reviews bring me joy and make my day 923526578456 times better._


	6. Author's Note

Alright, Sorry for those of you who got excited, but this is a little Author's Note.

Number one, I've not forgotten this story.

My main problem lately, is the fact that I'm lazy, and lack of inspiration. Though, I have become a bit more inspired lately. I'm not going to make any guarantees, but the updates should be restarted soon enough. I'm thinking some time after AWA in September I'll feel much more inspired.

Speaking of AWA, if any of you are going, tell me! I'll come say hi to you.

But as for now, don't give up on me, mmk?

I'll be back before long.

Lovelovelove

-VC


End file.
